


Unwavering

by xIAmAlsoAWe



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Case Fic, Densi - Freeform, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Love Triangle, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-06
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-12 03:04:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2093256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xIAmAlsoAWe/pseuds/xIAmAlsoAWe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To put it bluntly, Kensi is jealous of Deeks and Talia's new budding relationship. Now that Hetty had appointed Talia as the new DEA liaison to NCIS: Office of Special Projects, how will things change for Kensi and Deeks? (Warning: Mild cursing involved.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I'm back with another NCIS:LA fic and I promise that this Densi fic isn't quite as angsty as my first one. That doesn't mean to say that there are some elements of angst within this fic.
> 
> I'm not really good at keeping up with multi-chapter fics, but I'll try and do my best. Yes, you read the words that I typed. Multi-chapter.
> 
> I was kind of mean (in a bad mood because of stuff) and left you guys with a sorta cliffhanger. Nothing major, just something to get a medieval riot started. :P
> 
> I kind of love love triangles and the Kensi-Deeks-Talia one is no exception. Not to mention the fact that jealous Kensi is awesome to watch and write! This idea had been stirring in my head for weeks now and I finally settled on a plot and setting. (Not really. It was always the same. Though, I never expected this chapter to end like this.)
> 
> Anyways, enjoy~
> 
> Oh, congratulations are in order for Daniela Ruah and David Olsen on their marriage! :D
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS:LA or any of the characters.
> 
> P.S: This was originally posted on fanfiction.net.

Kensi was definitely not the jealous type.

Okay, maybe that wasn't the truth. If she had to admit it, she really was the jealous type. Especially, when the subject of her affections and object of jealousy was one witty, shaggy haired, blonde detective.

_Ugh._

She threw her head onto her desk and into her arms.

 _What the hell did she do to have life throw a bunch of curveballs at her and make her life a living hell?_   _At least, Callen and Sam were fine._

The team had stayed up all night in OSP to track down the submarine that Callen and Sam were trapped in. Not to mention, capture whoever was responsible for it.

However, in the process of all the saving, Hetty had thought it was a good idea to let Talia into the mission. You know, with the urgent case at hand and the high priority mission needing all the help that was available. Kensi had been glad to get all available help to rescue the other half of the team. If only, it hadn't been Talia that was the one that was helping.

If the circumstances had been different, Kensi would've probably taken a liking to the DEA agent, but under the current circumstances, Kensi loathed her.

She knew she was being petty, but she couldn't help it. It was Deeks.

_…_

_"You were on another assignment the last time we hooked up."_

_…_

_Hooked up? What the fuck was that supposed to mean?_

_Ugh._

On top of all her problems, Hetty had appointed Talia as the DEA liaison for NCIS: Office of Special Projects. Occasionally, of course. Unlike Deeks' liaison position, Talia's was part-time.

Oh, how much she hated Hetty right now. If this was Hetty's way of trying to get her and Deeks together, it was a pretty lousy one.

"What I could use after a long day like this is a nice cold beer. You guys in?"

At Deeks' voice, she rose up from her position and laid back onto her chair. Sam and Callen were by their desks packing up to go home, Nell and Eric were descending down the stairs, and Deeks & Talia were standing awfully close to each other in front of the entrance of the bullpen.

_Ugh._

"I just want to go home, kiss my wife, tuck in my kids, and have a normal day for a little while," Sam smiled apologetically at Deeks. "Nice working with you, Agent Del Compo. I guess we'll see you around here more often now."

"I guess so," she replied with a smile. She shook hands with Callen and Sam as they walked out.

"What? Callen, you're not going?" Deeks called after Callen.

Callen shook his head and didn't even turn back before responding, "I got a date."

A smile came to Kensi's face.  _Good for Callen._

Deeks turned around as Eric and Nell walked by him.

"What about you two?"

Nell shook her head. "Tired."

Deeks gave her a disappointing glare, but he relented.

"Eric san?"

Eric shook his head.

"You guys are no fun." The two technology wizards parted apologetically as Deeks turned to Kensi.

"Please, please tell me that you're in, Kens."

Deeks had that pouty face on.

As much as she wanted to spend her night with Deeks  _and_ Talia, she refused.

"After a night like tonight, I just wanna go and visit my mom."

She knew how pathetic that sounded to someone who didn't know the full story; i.e.: Talia.

But she didn't give a shit.

Okay, that was a flat-out lie, but still.

Deeks nodded in understanding. "Tell her, Marty says hi."

Kensi gave him a small smile as she picked up her stuff and headed towards them. "Will do."

As Kensi walked past them, she doubled back for a quick second and added, "Thanks for taking care of my mom while I was out. You know, vaguely looping her in."

Deeks gave her a small smile of his own in return and replied, "No problem. She makes a mean lasagna. I have no idea how you can be related to her. Your cooking sucks." He teased her. In all honesty, she loved his teasing. She would never,  _ever_  admit that publicly though. Especially not to Deeks.

Kensi turned to leave, but she quickly doubled back again. "Oh! Sorry, I almost forgot." She dug around her bag for something. She half-expected him to crack a joke about how messy she was. Actually, she fully expected it. Maybe it was the third party -  _*ahem*_ Talia  _*ahem*_  - in the room that was restricting him.

She finally took out the thing she had been looking for and tossed it over at Deeks.

"A ball?" Deeks asked curiously.

"For Monty. Marine on one of the bases gave it to me. Asked me if I had a dog. Just said yes." That made Deeks smile.

She smiled.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Kensi turned back around and walked towards the double doors and this time she didn't double back. Before she pushed the doors open, she heard Deeks distant voice as the two of them walked the other way.

"Guess it's just you and me, partner."

And that just damn well broke her heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! In this fic, I really want to tap into Kensi's insecurities because I've always loved that concept and that kind of personality within a character. I'm not saying I condone low self-esteem, but it's interesting on a female character who is extremely intelligent and beautiful (i.e.: Chuck's Sarah Walker or Rizzoli & Isles' Jane Rizzoli). It always seems that she has underlying insecurities that are not being addressed.
> 
> Oh, I forgot to mention in my anecdote on my first chapter about how much I love the fact that Mercedes Masöhn is playing Talia Del Compo! #Chuck
> 
> Also, throughout this fic, I really want to address Kensi's time in Afghanistan and how it affects her relationship with Deeks. That being said, I want to address Deeks' torture as well.

"You should've seen the way he looked at her, Mom!" Kensi plopped down onto her mother's couch and let out a sigh.

Julia sat on the end of the couch with her legs tucked beneath her. Her head was perched on her hand and in turn, her arm on the back of the couch. An amused smile donned her face as she listened to her daughter vent out her frustrations.

Kensi turned her head to the side and faced her mother.

"Things are so complicated, now."

"How?"

Kensi cleared her throat and with a poor attempt to change the subject, she asked, "So, what's new, Mom."

"Kensi…"

Kensi sighed. "We may have sort of slept together," she said awkwardly.

"And it didn't work out?" Julia leaned closer, her hands now in her lap.

"We had a case and we sort of fell out of step. But by the end of the day, we agreed to work things out, but then I got sent to Afghanistan and everything fell apart. Then I find out he was partnered with someone else!"

"Kensi, it's not like they slept together. They only just partnered up for a case," her mother reasoned.

"What's the difference?"

Julia gave her daughter a smile. "The difference is that she doesn't have a connection with Marty the way that you do."

Kensi acquiesced with a sigh and Julia couldn't help flashback onto a moment where Don was in the exact same position as their daughter.  _They were always so stubborn._

Julia stood up and walked over to the kitchen. "Besides, you have nothing to worry about. That boy loves you."

Kensi's curiosity was piqued. "What?" She asked in shock.

Julia gave a large smile as she sipped some water, "He talked about you non-stop when he was here. His eyes told me more than his words could."

"Yeah," Kensi nodded, "he isn't very good at communicating."

An amused laugh from Julia spread throughout the house. "Neither are you."

"Touché." Kensi couldn't help but bring up a mental image of Deeks laughing. She stood up and gave a yawn. "I'm so tired, mom. Mind if I sleep over?"

"Not at all," she shook her head as she walked over to the hallway. "You know where the guest room is."

Kensi gave a nod and shouted a thanks as she stretched her arms above her head. She glanced at all the pictures around the house. Some were of her and her mother, a few of her and her father, and one of them all together. The other pictures were of her mother and her new husband, Richard, and his sixteen year-old daughter, Emily. Emily's mother had abandoned them when she was only four and she had quickly taken a liking to her new step-sister.

Kensi plopped onto the bed in the guestroom and removed her jacket. The only thing she could think of was Deeks.

Lately, he'd been driving her to and from work, leaving his car at her house as an excuse to take her home. She'd even let him drive her car. It seemed that after her return from Afghanistan, he'd become more protective of her just like she'd been when he bought that damn motorcycle.

She had driven to her mother's house with her car and Deeks' car was at her house, so that meant…

_They had taken Talia's car._

Her night was just getting better and better. Kensi's subconscious was bitter today and knowing that Deeks and Talia were probably drunk in a sleazy bar somewhere didn't make matters any better.

Before she dozed off, Kensi wondered if he would have gone to her house to pick up his car.

/-\

The next morning as Kensi pulled into the Mission, she gave an internal sigh. Talia's black Chevy was already there.  _Great, now she had to spend the rest of the day working with Talia. Or worse; for the next few days._

She had quickly stopped by her house for a change of clothes and a cup of coffee to find out that Deeks' car was still here. So, she had driven to his house and found him still groggy and hung-over. As Deeks got dressed, Kensi brewed a pot of coffee for him and fed Monty some of the bacon from her sandwich that she'd picked up at a corner store.

They'd both gotten out of the car and walked to the entrance of the Mission. As Kensi trailed behind Deeks, she had finally realized that Deeks' occasional rambling had been absent during this morning's carpool.

Before they could even enter the bullpen, Eric's familiar whistle sounded.

"Got a case."

"What? No fancy introduction?" Sam teased.

Eric shook his head. "Not today."

"That bad?" Deeks asked him.

Eric only nodded as the rest of the team stood up to go to Ops. Deeks and Kensi had quickly put their stuff down and as she walked up the stairs to the second floor, Talia fell in step next to her.

"Hey," Talia greeted awkwardly.

Kensi gave her own inept reply "Hi." She gave a quick nod before advancing ahead.  _God, it's going to be a long day._


	3. Chapter 3

"What do we have?" Callen's voice filled the Operation Center as Eric and Nell quickly took to their place. Callen, Sam, Deeks, and Kensi took their place behind the center console table as Talia leaned on the side of it.

Hetty gave a quick nod to Nell who stepped forward and gave a swipe of her tablet.

"Victim is Gunnery Sergeant-"

"Justin Moore." Kensi completed.

Nell and Eric shared a glance of sympathy as the rest of the team exchanged confused glances.

"Justin was Jack's old Marine buddy," Kensi answered the unspoken question that lingered around the room. Steel-faced and mask on, Kensi asked, "What happened?"

Nell gave a glance to Kensi and signaled her with her eyes,  _I'm here if you need to talk._  Kensi nodded once in return and so did Nell.

"He was shot twice in the chest with a 10mm Colt 1911. The gunshot recognizer pinpointed the shots at 7:14 and 7:15 this morning. "

Eric continued, as he swiped his tablet and onto another picture. The door frame to Justin's house looked frayed at the wood was chipped. "Looks like someone tried breaking in with a crowbar." Eric gave a quick glance of apology to Kensi and swiped his tablet once. The picture that came up revealed a letter addressed to her.

Kensi took a step forward.

Kensi,

If you're reading this, I'm most likely dead. Jack has become someone else after Fallujah. I saw you try so hard to bring him back, but in the end I guess it just wasn't meant to be. After he left, he came over to my house and promised to my last dying breath that I wouldn't tell you anything about his whereabouts. He called me a couple of weeks ago and told me about your little trip to Afghanistan. He asked me to look into the people who captured you guys. I did. His name is Aamil Qasem. He heads the branch of the Taliban that captured you two. They're funneling cocaine and heroin to the U.S for resources and money. And they're angry. They're coming for you and Jack. They've already come for me. Ironic how we're attacked at home right?

Stay safe and Semper Fi,

Justin Moore

Kensi just stared at the screen after reading. Everyone was hesitant to approach her. Everyone except Hetty.

"Ms. Blye, there's someone waiting for you in the boat shed. I suggest you head over there."

Kensi gave Hetty an empty glance and nodded as she walked out of the Ops Center.

The team moved to walk out after her, but Hetty stopped them.

"You four will have to back her up on this. She takes point. If what Mr. Moore has written was true, this is a matter of national security and we need to keep Ms. Blye safe. If the Taliban are indeed funneling drugs to the U.S, we will need to know how and where." Hetty gave a quick glance to Talia and she gave a nod in response.

"All of you off to the boat shed." She dismissed.

/-\

Kensi took a deep breath as she stood in front of the door to the interview room where Jack was now currently sitting. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the rest of her team pile into the boat shed's lounge area.  _Guess, Talia's part of the team now… This day just got better and better._

As Kensi walked into the interrogation room, Callen turned on the monitor and turned to the team. "If she needs our help, we give it to her. If she doesn't, don't push, but support her. You guys got that?"

Talia gave an awkward nod while the rest of the team gave a nod without hesitation.  _'So this is what a team looks like; this is how they operate. Must be nice.'_ Talia gave a quick glance to the screen and found Kensi entering the room with an unknown guy alone. She was confused as to who this man was and what his relationship with Kensi was, but if she was part of the team now, then she had to back her up. No matter how much she didn't like her on a personal level.

As she entered the room, Jack abruptly stood up. "Kensi! What are you doing here?"

Instead of answering her former fiancé, Kensi took a seat in front of him and asked, "Do you remember what you said to me before you left?"

Deeks watched as Jack slowly sat down and how Kensi played with her left ring finger, never once looking up at Jack. Sympathy mixed with jealousy bubbled up inside him. He wondered if he would ever have the chance to put a ring on her finger…

Not waiting for Jack to answer, Kensi spoke – still playing with her finger. This reminded her of another time she sat like this.

"You were good. The tree was all decorated and we were sitting on the couch. You made the cookies 'cause I would've just burned them." A small laugh filled with nostalgia escaped her lips as she felt tears well up in her eyes; memories that had once been buried escaping their way out from under her. "We were watching Miracle on 34th street – well, I wasn't watching, you were. I asked you if we were going to your parents' tomorrow and you nodded. After a moment, you kissed the top of my head and told me that you loved me. I asked you, "Really?" and you said, "With all my heart.""

"Kensi…"

Recalling the old memories brought back something she couldn't wrap her head around. "You were good." Her voice cracked. Tears were being spilled.

"Kensi, I -"

"I woke up on  _our_ bed to find you missing. Without so much as a note! You left, Jack! And cue nine years and I find you in Afghanistan with a new mindset and a new family. Without me."

Silence fell. Jack didn't make a move to say anything. Kensi kept playing with her finger and cried. She really wished that her team wasn't watching this. She  _really_  wished that Talia wasn't watching this. But they were. But she was. And she couldn't do anything to fix it. Just like Jack.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Right after I updated, I wrote a small chapter continuing the talk between Kensi and Jack. Prepare yourself for angst and Densi fluff! :D
> 
> Hope you enjoy~
> 
> P.S: If any of you high schoolers get something in the mail for NSLC (National Student Leadership Conference) I highly recommend that you take advantage of that opportunity. I went and it's freaking amazing and absolute wonderful and life changing experience! :D

"Justin's dead." For the first time during her time in the room with Jack, she looked him in the eyes. She watched as surprise, anger, confusion, and every other emotion possible ran across his face.

"Wha- how?"

"He was shot twice." Kensi pulled something from her pocket and slid it over to him. "He wrote me this letter."

She watched as Jack read over the letter, his eyes narrowing and a wrinkle between his eyebrows forming. A sad smile appeared on her face.

Kensi sleepily walked into the living room with only Jack's white dress shirt on and smiled as she saw him reading the morning paper, a cup of coffee next to him.

"Morning." Her voice was low and gravely as she sidled up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck and slid her hands over his bare chest.

He put the paper down and titled his head up at her. His smile grew large and she couldn't help but smile back. He kissed her deeply and murmured playfully, "Mmm, morning breath."

Kensi pulled away and swatted his chest. "You have morning breath too, ya know."

"Yes, I do, but mine is covered up with the taste of bacon." He offered her his breakfast plate and she took a strip of bacon without hesitation.

Jack gave a laugh and Kensi gave him a look. "What?"

He shook his head, "Nothing."

"Tell me, what?"

"You're cute when you eat. It's weird, but it's cute."

A colorful laugh sounded throughout the room as she ate the rest of her bacon. "You're cute when you read. Looks like you're actually thinking," She chided playfully.

Jack got him as she walked backwards slowly, never breaking eye contact. "Was that an insult?" The teasing in his voice foretold to her that today was going to be a good day. 'It is indeed," she thought.

"Maybe…" She drew out, a crooked smile on her face.

Jack unexpectedly ran up to her and carried her bridal style as a happy squeal left her mouth.

"Kens, I had to protect you."

Deeks internally flinched at Jack's affectionate nickname for his partner. 'That's my nickname…'

"From what? From you?! I didn't need protecting Jack! I needed you! I did everything I could; I helped with your meds, your counseling, and I always listened! And you pay me back by leaving! On Christmas morning, no less!"

"Kens, I'm really sorry," Jack was standing up now and tried making his way over to her. Kensi wasn't having any of it. She stood up herself and moved away towards the door, but didn't reach for it.

"In that cave, you said you changed. I did too. I built up walls. And someone broke them down. Then everything changed again in Afghanistan. I saw you and everything came flooding back to me. I thought we could work things out again, but I was wrong."

"When they," she took a breath and a gulp and continued, "when they were, um, torturing us, there was only one thought that came to my mind." Kensi faces the camera this time and says, "For whatever it's worth, the place that I went to in my head to stop the pain was you. It's the only thing that got me through."

"Kens…" Jack drew her name out, thinking that she was directing her statement at him.

She changed the topic abruptly, "Did you know that I reconnected with my mother?"

Jack shook his head.

"Did you know that I found my father's killer?"

Jack shook his head once more.

"Yeah." Kensi gave an awfully cold smile that was directed towards him, but at the same time it spoke volumes to Deeks. "Well, there's someone who does."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I don't know where I'm going with this chapter, so…..
> 
> (Again, small little chapter)
> 
> Enjoy~

The depth of her statement meant nothing to the team. Except Deeks. Deeks just sat there, thoughts running through his mind a mile a minute. They obviously had a thing. He knew that much. But her words held such significant meaning to him. He remembered when he had said those exact words. It surprised him that she even remembered them. She had looked so vulnerable – on the edge of tears – and it broke his heart that he had caused her that pain.

Kensi slowly made her way towards the lounge area as she wiped tears from her eyes, trying desperately to avoid eye contact with the rest of the team. Especially Deeks. And Talia.

Callen made a move to say something, but Kensi headed for the exit before he could say anything. Awkward silence filled the air for a few very long seconds before Deeks got up.

"I'll go and um, talk to her."

/-\

Deeks exited the boat shed through the back, following Kensi. He saw her standing near edge of the small, makeshift pier with her arms wrapped around her torso and her hair slowly moving with the wind. He stuck his hands in the back pocket and slowly made his way over to her. Stopping right beside her, he looked out onto the horizon just as she was. The pair didn't say anything; Deeks not wanting to push and Kensi feeling weirdly vulnerable around him at this particular moment.

Suddenly, she broke the silence, "What happened between us?"

Deeks pulled his hands from his back pocket and turned his head towards her, "What?"

Finally, she turned towards him, her arms still wrapped around her torso. "You asked me on a date without actually asking me on a date, we go back to your place and have this amazing, incredible night, we become hot and cold the next day, – that was mostly my fault – and by the end of the day we plan to work it out. But we never did…" Her voice becomes barely a whisper by the end of her tirade, but Deeks heard it as plain as day.

And instantly, he responded, "You were sent to Afghanistan. You found your ex-fiancé, and you were tortured."

"So were you."

It took a while for Deeks to figure out that she had changed the subject.  _Was that the reason she was so reluctant to be with him?_

"Kensi…"

She loved the way he said her name. She felt so safe when he said her name. Just like when he wrapped his strong arms around her and held her as she cried into his jacket. Just like when he told her that they were going home; that everything was going to be fine okay.

She had something to say in her mind, but she was quickly interrupted by Callen's voice. "We've got a lead on who killed Moore. Nell and Eric tracked down Aamil Qasem. He and his men are laying low on the outskirts of town. Deeks, you're with Talia. Kensi, Hetty wants to back at OSP." He gave an awkward nod and left with Sam.

_Great, now Deeks is being paired with Talia. Can this day get any worse?_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, to make up for those two short little chapters, here's a long one (I think). 
> 
> (Probably not.)

"So…"

"So…"

"You have a dog."

They'd been riding in the tension filled car for about 20 minutes before Talia had spoken up.

"Yes. I do."

Deeks didn't know why it was so awkward between them. They usually threw witty quips at each other. Back and forth. Back and forth. But this time was different. It was more so her than him.

"What's his name?"

"Monty. He was a bomb sniffer. Retired now."

"Why?"

"PTSD?"

"PTSD? Seriously? A dog can get PTSD?"

"His vet said something about anxiety. Sam calls it Puppy Traumatic Stress Disorder."

Talia laughed at that.

Tension diffused. Sort of.

Silence ensued once more until Talia voiced her observation, "This is a different car."

She looked over at him for an answer and he glanced back. "Oh, yeah. This is my car."

"And the other wasn't?" She asked, clearly confused.

"It was Kensi's. I was taking care of it for her while she was gone."

"Oh."

They had finally arrived only to find a dilapidated warehouse, falling apart at the seams. Sam and Callen were already there, checking their guns and strapping on their vests. Talia and Deeks got out of the car and moved towards the trunk of Deeks' red Chevy Cruze to do the same. As Deeks watched Talia put on the bullet proof vest with NCIS inscribed proudly on front that Kensi usually wore.

She caught his gaze and asked, "What?"

"Nothing." Deeks shook his head. He took his own bullet proof vest out of the truck and glanced over the letters.

**_NCIS_ **

It was ironic really. He really felt like these people were his family. Much more than LAP had ever felt. Maybe it was time to make it permanent. He shook his head and got ready for the incoming firefight. Right now, he had to worry about coming out alive before he made any big decisions.

The team entered with force, shouting, "Federal Agents!", "NCIS!", "LAPD", "DEA!" only to find the warehouse empty of its occupants.

To Deeks, this felt like a trap. Like a bomb would detonate any minute and blow them up into smithereens. But it didn't. The only thing that filled the air was eerie silence.

"What the hell is this?" Talia asked. It seemed that the rest of the team was thinking the same thing.

Callen spotted something over to the side. A heavy blue tarp covered something huge. "Guys."

Guns drawn and ready to fire, they all moved in sync to cover Callen as he ripped the tarp away from the object underneath.

Guns were slowly put down and mouths were open in stark shock.

/-\

Kensi was ten minutes away from the Mission when her phone rang. Her car came to a slow stop as the light changed to red and she picked it up. It was Deeks.  _This was going to be awkward._

"Deeks, I-"

Before she could say anything, his hurried and anxious voice filled her ears. "Kensi, where are you?"

"I'm driving to the Mission. Why? What happened?"

"Kensi, Aamil Qasem and his men are coming after you. They've been following you. You have to get to the Mission quickly."

"What? Slow down, Deeks. What do you mean they've been following me? I would've known if they were following me."

The light turned green and slowly, she pressed the gas pedal.

"Kensi, they've been following you for weeks. Taking pictures; surveilling."

Worry set in.  _Oh no, the Mission!_

"Deeks. Deeks, do they have any pictures of the Mission? Are we compromised?"

"No, it seems that you lost them before they got a chance to get close."

Kensi sighed in relief. "Okay, so tell me wha-"

A pair of bright headlights came towards her car from the side. Before she knew it, her phone flew out of her hand and her car was flipped over. She faintly felt the air bags being deployed as glass penetrated her car and she was lurched around in her seat, her seatbelt constricting her movements. Her head banged on something and she felt blood trickle down the side of her head as random debris from her car flew all over the place. The shattered glass of the driver seat and passenger seat windows penetrated everything in the car, including her. They were small pieces, but they did enough damage to cut her skin. Luckily, no pieces imbedded themselves deep within in her. The glass fell out of her as the car flipped over once more. The car was on its side now, the roof of the car sidled next to a parked car and the windshield containing a webs of almost broken glass. The driver seat door was dented and faced towards the sky. A faint ringing sounded in her left ear and she felt herself drift off. The last words she heard were from Deeks.

His panicked voice radiated through her car, crackly from the phone whose screen was shattered and the display flashing with his smiling face. "Kens?! Kens! Kens, what happened. Are you there?! Kensi?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, so I lied. This wasn't a very long chapter. It felt like it was when I was writing it though... I hope the action and plot development made up for it. :3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Deeks drives a Chevy Malibu, not a Chevy Cruze. My mistake.

Deeks had Eric send LAPD and LAFD while he had Nell locate Kensi using her phone's GPS. She had been seven minutes from the Mission.

When the team had arrived on scene, Deeks and Talia had come first – Callen and Sam coming a few minutes after.

Police tape surrounded the perimeter of the scene as people huddled around it. He pushed his way pass the crowd of people and used his badge to get into the car wreck.

It was worse than he'd imagined.

Her car had flipped over once and then landed promptly on its side, roof against a parked car. Out of the myriad of webs that decorated the familiar silver car's windshield, he could see droplets of her blood. It made him want to puke. LAFD had torn off the driver's side door and proceeded to get Kensi transferred onto the backboard of the stretcher, her neck wrapped with a brace. He ran over to the paramedics who were quickly wheeling her and demanded that he go inside, telling them that he was her partner. He threw his car keys to Callen who then gave it to Talia and proceeded inside the ambulance.

Callen, Sam, and Talia made their way to the now ruined car and looked around. Crime scene technicians had made quick work of the crime scene and passed it over to NCIS. Callen ordered the LAFD firefighters to set Kensi's car onto its wheels.

"Damn," Sam sighed as the damage to the car was more visible.

"I know." Callen was now determined to catch this son of a bitch.

"Hey, G. Look." Sam reached over the passenger side door to find a note. Droplets of Kensi's blood stained the yellow paper.

It was written in Arabic.

Sam translated, "Things do not always go as planned. I hope it was well worth it, White Ghost."

"Who's the White Ghost?" Talia asked.

Callen shrugged. "But I might know who does." He turned to get back in Sam's Challenger when a glimmer of light flashed out of the corner of his eye. He moved to the passenger's side and reached underneath the chair.

It was her phone.

The display was flashing her home screen – a picture of her and Deeks.

Callen gave a sigh and stood up, putting her phone in a bag labeled as 'evidence'. Out of curiosity, he popped open the glove compartment and found a few Twinkies, a bag of chips, and a few different chocolate bars.

He smiled and took them with him.

When Sam gave him an odd look, he just replied, "Kensi might get cranky when she wakes up."

Sam just smiled and took another look inside. He pocketed her extra gun and her dad's knife.

/-\

It had been three hours since he'd came to the hospital with her. Sam and Callen had come over and gave him a few of her things that they'd found in her car and then left to go and work the case; to track down the son of a bitch and make him pay.

He called her mother and currently, Julia was sitting next to him, a cup of coffee nestled in her trembling hands.

Softly, he pressed his free hand against hers and gave her a smile. She gave a weak smile in return.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it Mrs. B."

She laughed. "How many times do I have to tell you to keep telling me that?"

"As long as you're Kensi's mother, I'll call you Mrs. B."

She smiled at that. Mission Accomplished.

That was a constant cycle between them. And familiarity felt good right now, it felt safe.

Suddenly, the double doors to their right opened to a doctor. He was tall, looked about 35, and his hair was tousled.

"Family of Kensi Blye?" He asked.

Deeks and her mother nodded as they stood.

"Is she okay?" Her mother asked.

"Are you her mother?" She nodded once more.

"I'm Dr. Levian. Your daughter has a broken arm and is suffering from a traumatic brain injury. She's going to be staying in the hospital for a few weeks before she can go back home. Often, patients with brain injuries have cases of amnesia. We need to make sure she is void of that before we let her leave. Also, we removed glass from her face. It wasn't severe, just some minor cuts. We did have to stitch up a cut she sustained on the side of her head from the crash. She's going to need a chiropractor. Auto-accident victims often have lingering side effects."

"C-can we see her?" Deeks asked.

The doctor nodded. "She's going to be a little groggy when she wakes and she's going to have a splitting headache, but all of that should go away with medicine. If you'll follow me."

Deeks held his breath when he walked into her room. A tube was inserted in her mouth helping her breath, a bruise was visible on her right cheek, her arm was in a sling, several small cuts littered the left side of her face and chin, and about ten stitches made its way across the right side of her head.

He was vaguely aware of Julia making her way next to her, Kensi's hands in hers.

Deeks couldn't move. It was like he was frozen. He stood in front of her foot board, just watching her breathe in and out - the machines around him beeping consistently.

She looked so fragile, so vulnerable; so  _un-_ Kensi like. He hated how bad-ass Blye could be reduced to this stillness that lay before him.

It had been about five hours before Julia waked him up and told him to go home, promising to call him as soon as she woke up. He didn't argue, there was no point to. So, he went home, fed Monty, took him for a walk, and slept for a good three hours before a nightmare awoke him.

_Kensi had died._

Deeks shook his head and breathed.

In. Out. Repeat.

He looked over at the digital clock on his nightstand and sighed. It was 6:37 AM. Looks like he wasn't going to sleep any further. So, he went for a run; ten miles. That was something he'd never done before, but it had cleared his head, if only for a little while. He made himself some breakfast, pancakes with eggs and a side of bacon. He poured himself a cup of hazelnut coffee. It felt normal.

Deeks had decided that pondering over Kensi's car crash and wasting time thinking of ways that he could've stopped it from happening wasn't going to help him find the fucker that did this to Kensi.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to be cliche and make this like The Vow and make her lose her memory. I'm saving that for another fic. *wink wink* It's an upcoming White Collar fic that I have had the idea for since forever!
> 
> Enjoy~

"Any leads on Qasem?" Deeks asked as he entered the Ops center.

Eric and Nell turned around from their chairs and shook their head solemnly. "Sorry. Looks like he's disappeared. He's off the grid."

Deeks just gave and nod and motioned to talk to Hetty, but was interrupted when Sam and Callen burst in.

"Who's the White Ghost?" Callen voiced.

"Mr. Callen?"

"Hetty, who is the White Ghost?"

"Where are you getting this information?"

Callen handed her the yellow note. Hetty took a second to read it and looked up unfazed. Then, she ordered everyone but the team to leave.

"Very well," she turned, "Mr. Beale, please access file Labyrinth 2-4-0. Access key is gh729c2."

A file came up on the main display and with his tablet, Eric opened it. It was a bunch of documents of the White Ghost. Some of them were redacted.

"The White Ghost is fake. Ms. Blye was sent to kill him in Afghanistan. We thought that the White Ghost was real, but it was just a lie. Mr. Beale." Eric swiped onto a picture. It was Jack's military photo. "We discovered that the CIA used the White Ghost as a cover for Jack Simon."

"Why?" Callen asked.

"To kill him, Mr. Callen."

"What does the CIA want from Simon that they'd go to such extreme lengths to kill him?" Talia asked, shocked at the information.

"Only a handful of people know the answer to that Ms. Del Compo. One of them is the CIA, the other is in the hospital, and the other is in the interrogation room of the boat shed. So, I suggest you four make your way over there and get the answer out of him."

/-\

_She looked down at the ground. There was snow. The last thing she could remember seeing was a bright light. The last thing she could hear however, was the sound of her partner's voice. She looked around her. It looked like your old fashioned city street. People were walking casually by, cars were parked, and the occasional car rolled by as the lights from nearby stores lit up the night sky. A young man in his late 30s walked by with a husky and asked if she was okay. She just nodded and the man walked off. Looking up, she found a city street sign. It read 4_ _th_ _and Lowe._

_This wasn't Los Angeles. It was Boston._

_"Hey, you okay?"_

_Kensi turned her head in exasperation to tell the person that she was fine, but looked and saw that it wasn't her he was talking to. It looked like he didn't even recognize she was there._

_A young man had his hand intertwined with a young woman as they walked down the street._

_The young woman turned her head and smiled, "Yeah. I'm fine. Just a little cold." Only then did she realize that the young woman was her. And that this was a memory._

_The young man brought both her hands and encased it with his and brought it up to his lips. The ghost of his breath could be seen in the cold weather as he breathed warm air into them._

_"Better?" He asked._

_Jack._

_Young-Kensi smiled. "Definitely."_

_Suddenly, it was raining. She looked up to the sky out of curiosity and felt water droplets on her face. She stretched her arm out to catch the droplets in her palm when her hand felt weird. It was unnaturally cold. She looked down and found a puddle of ice. Curiously, she poked at it and the frozen puddle cracked all around it, leaving and indent of her finger along with it as webs formed around it._

_"You're so slow!" She heard a voice from the distance._

_It was hers._

_"That's no fair!" It was Deeks._

_Finally, she took a look around her to find them in a familiar neighborhood. But it wasn't hers or Deeks'. She'd traveled through here to get to the Mission from time to time._

_Kensi saw herself holding an umbrella and running towards well, herself. This was complicated. Kensi knew for a fact that this was not a memory. Deciding that this was a dream, she aptly named the Kensi that was running towards herself Dream-Kensi._

_Dream-Kensi held an umbrella over her head as she ran away from_ _Dream-Deeks all the while getting ironically soaked in the process._

_In the process of running away from Dream-Deeks, Dream-Kensi didn't realize that he was catching up to her._

_All of a sudden Dream-Deeks came up behind Dream-Kensi and wrapped his arms around her. Surprised, Dream-Kensi squealed as Dream-Deeks spun her around in the rain. The umbrella lay forgotten beside them as the two Dream people were in their own world. The playful atmosphere turned into a passionate one when he put her down and Dream-Kensi turned in his arms. Dream-Deeks turned his head to the side and leaned towards her. Dream-Kensi stepped back rather teasingly – surprising Kensi – until her back hit a cement post of an entrance to a house._

_Dream-Deeks' lips were millimeters apart from Dream-Kensi's. As his breath ghosted past hers, Dream-Kensi smiled, "You're such a tease."_

_"I aim to please," Dream-Deeks responded back as finally, he captures her lips with his. Dream-Kensi snaked her arms around his neck as her hand played with his shaggy dirty blonde hair. Something glinted in the moonlight from the corner of her eye._

_It was an engagement ring._

_The glint of the ring became brighter and brighter until the light hit her full force._

Blearily, Kensi opened her eyes to an unfamiliar place. She moved to turn her head when a sharp pain from her arm. She hisses at the pain and looks down to see her arm in a sling.

"Hey. You're okay." Her mom's soft voice came from her right and she turned her head slowly.

"Wh-where am I?" She was parched; her throat, dry.

"You're in the hospital, Kensi. You were in an accident."

Kensi looks around the small hospital room. "Where's Deeks?"

"I was just about to call him," her mother said with a smile. Julia pulls her phone and dials the familiar number.

"Marty. Kensi's awake."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't live in California. I just used google maps to find a location for this chapter and the next. :)

"Marty. Kensi's awake."

Those three words had him embracing his cell phone to his chest and sending out imaginary thank-yous to any deity willing to listen.

He's never felt more alive or happier. Knowing that Kensi was safe and sound was a great feeling. It meant that he still had a chance. _They_  still had a chance. After this, he promised himself that he would finally speak his mind about how he really felt. And maybe, just maybe, they could work things out.

He raises his phone to his ear and breathes, "That's good. Great even. Thank God. Tell her Max says 'hi'." He grins at that.

 _'Just a boy and a girl._ '

He can practically feel Julia nod as she says, "Okay" and hangs up the phone.

"Deeks, you alright?" Sam asks as they head to their respective cars.

"Kensi woke up. She's okay." He responds.

Sam realizes that Deeks just answered his question with an indirect answer. To unsuspecting people, they would be confused with his change of subject, but to Sam – and the rest of the team - , he knows that as long as Kensi's safe, Deeks is alright. He smiles inwardly at that.  _One day, they're going to get together and Sam is not going to be surprised._

Deeks presses his finger against the ear wig placed deftly in his right ear and speaks, "Eric, have LAPD send some uniforms over to Kensi's room."

"Already done."

Deeks wants to kiss Eric for that. Through the haze of adrenaline, he'd ironically forgotten about the matter of Kensi's safety in the hospital. Deeks murmurs a thanks to Eric and gets in the driver's seat of his red Chevy Malibu.

Deeks is quiet in the car. It's oddly unsettling for Talia. It's only a twenty minute drive from the Mission to the boat shed, but each passing minute feels like hours.

"You never answered my question." She finally breaks the silence.

"Hmm?" Deeks asks, confused.

"You ever," she clicks her tongue twice and even pumps her fist for added effect, "with her?"

"What? What?"

"You did, didn't you?" She's amused now.

"What? No."

"You're totally lying. A man with a partner that beautiful?" She lets out a laugh.

He falls silent. She notices that he doesn't deny it.

Five minutes later, Talia finds the mood shifting as she speaks. "You really like her don't you?" She doesn't look at him. Instead, she looks out that window, relishing the breeze that hits her face.

He doesn't answer.

"I told you once that I got involved with someone I worked with." She looks down at her hands and starts playing with her callused fingers. "It's dangerous stuff. Be careful or else you'll burn. I did." She gives a quick glance in Deeks' direction and sees him nod. She resumes looking out the window.

In all honesty, Talia had thought this was her second chance. The moment she met Deeks, she knew he was her type of guy. During their brief tenure-ship as partners, she'd opened up to him. They had easily traded quips back and forth and he'd made her laugh. Something she loved in a guy. And then she found out that his partner was actually a  _she_. When she first saw Kensi, she knew her charade was over. She was beautiful. She saw the way that Deeks looked at her; this was a battle that she couldn't win.

Talia gave a sigh as a butterfly flew by.

Meanwhile, Deeks was trying to simultaneously let his mind wander off to Kensi while trying to drive. It was quite impressive.

Despite his outgoing and carefree exterior, his walls were built two times over and made of steel on the inside. His childhood had taught him that there was good and there was bad in this world – no in between. There was the occasional façade of a good person acting as if they were bad or vice versa, but that was it. No exceptions. He'd learned not to trust easily. He had put trust in his father to be well, a father, and look how that turned out.

But Kensi; there was just something about her. He'd let down his guard and as a result, he had brought down her toughly guarded one as well. He fell for her the moment he saw her in the gym.

_Black tank top, jeans. Bag that goes across her shoulder. Hair down. Wavy._

He knew right away that she was either going to be the death of him or be the light at the end of the pitch black tunnel. He was still deciding.

He remembers the moment where they finally were alone after his torture. The only moment filled with doubt. Doubt that this life was one that he wasn't cut out for. She'd asked with tears in her eyes, "And everyone?" He hadn't answered.

In all honesty, he didn't even know the answer himself. Once she started walking away, however, that was a whole different matter.

He'd found his answer.

_Never._

She had looked so vulnerable, fragile, and so small. He'd never seen her that way. It was unsettling. It was even more unsettling that he'd caused it.

He remembers another time that she had looked that way. This time she had asked, "Promise you'll be patient with me?"

He'd agreed and they'd fallen back to their usual banter. Tears lingered in her eyes, but she had a smile on her face.

He loved her smile. And her laugh. And most definitely,  _her._

/-\

He walks hesitantly into the interrogation room where Jack is still sitting. They'd set up a cot and gave him food and water to last through the night.

He takes a deep breath and finally opens the door.

"Aamil Qasem and his men attacked Kensi. They plowed their car into hers while she was driving."

Jack immediately stands up from his seat. "Is she okay?!"

"She's fine. A few broken bones, some scrapes and bruises, a few stitches, and a concussion, but nothing major." Deeks informs him.

He sits down at the other side of the table and gets straight to the point, "What's your relationship with Qasem?"

"What? What are you talking about? Why are you here? You should be out there trying to catch who did this to her!"

Deeks doesn't answer him. He just passes him a note.

Confused, Jack sits down and opens it up.

"What did he mean? What were you two planning?"

"I have no idea what he's talking about."

Deeks taps his index finger on the face of the note harshly, his voice growing louder, "These men  _targeted_  you and Kensi. They were surveilling you two. What kind of deal did you make with Qasem?!"

"Nothing!"

Deeks' ear is filled with Talia's voice, "I know where he's getting his drugs. His people back in Afghanistan are smuggling it through freight trains and boats. They take their boats out to sea and then hijack unsuspecting partygoers and rich people. While the people on board are in terror, they hide the drugs within the boats, they rob valuables so they don't suspect anything and then they leave. They track the hijacked boats onto shore in America, take their drugs, and then smuggle them on freight trains headed towards California. It's ingenious."

"What kind of deal did you make with them Simon?!"

"I didn't make any deal!"

Deeks is beyond frustrated now. "We know about the drug smuggling operation!"

Jack's face falls.

"These men are not going to stop until you and Kensi are dead! You have to tell me what you know. If not for yourself, do it for Kensi."

Jack sighed as his head bowed slightly. "They killed my family. The CIA came after me and decided that since I wasn't willing to do what the CIA wanted, they pinned me as the White Ghost. Qasem and his men hid me from the CIA. They told me that they had my son hostage. They were going to kill him if I didn't help them."

"Do you know where they store the drugs after they've unloaded off of the freight train?" Deeks asked.

Jack nodded. "Eight miles west of Mission Viejo. There's a warehouse where they store, package, and distribute the drugs."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This story is almost to a close. Almost.
> 
> In all honesty, the relationship between Kensi & Deeks reminds me a lot of Chuck's Chuck & Sarah. If any of you NCIS: LA fans are also fans of Chuck, then you might realize the similarity between the two couples – if you look closely. For instance, Chuck and Deeks both have the ability of quick thinking which make for very fun and witty dialogue. Also, contrary to their outgoing and engaging personality, they both have very dark pasts. They want to help people and are good-natured at heart, even after all they've been through and that's what makes them so loveable. Both characters are also incredibly smart, even though that may not seem like the case with Deeks. Don't forget, he earned that law degree.
> 
> Kensi & Sarah are both strong female characters whose hearts have been broken and therefore, they build walls and create facades. Slowly, as they respectively come into contact with an unusual and atypical love interest, they are shown that loving someone is not a vulnerability. They slowly break down their walls and eventually come to terms with their affection.
> 
> Meanwhile, the people around them notice the level of affection between them even if they don't or if they're too stubborn to acknowledge it. In addition, once they have acknowledged their affection for each other, they don't do anything about it. They deny events that occurred in the past and make excuses about having to work together, but in the end, the feelings are always there. Like any other love story, they are faced with challenges, – extremely hard challenges as a matter of fact – but again, the feelings are always there and become stronger as a result.
> 
> Also, Deeks & Chuck are particularly new to their female counterparts' life, i.e. Chuck being a new spy whereas Sarah has been a spy for years. Deeks becomes a LAPD liaison to the NCIS: Office of Special Projects in Los Angeles (and an unofficial agent, and probably an agent in due time – what's he doing with that piece of paper Hetty gave him anyways?) whereas Kensi has been an agent for years as well.
> 
> I could write a thesis on this… Is there a doctorate for fandoms?
> 
> Anyways, I'm sorry if I bored you with that. I just found it interesting.
> 
> Enjoy~
> 
> P.S: Speaking of Chuck, I absolute love that Mercedes Masöhn in NCIS: LA, if only for a little while. I know I've said it before, but still. It's still pretty awesome.
> 
> P.P.S: This chapter is bordering on the M(ature) side, so ye have been warned.
> 
> P.P.S: The conversation held between Kensi & Deeks has been inspired by PokeyDotes' "Yesteryear, Beneath The Shade Tree". (FF.net)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA not any of the characters.

There had been a raid and a seizing of a ton of drugs and weapons. There had been the taking down of members of the Taliban and the head of the branch that attempted to kill Kensi himself. Deeks had sucked punched him in the face - not that anyone witnessed it. There had been the discovery of Jack's son. And now, Deeks was standing outside of the warehouse with his arms crossed while crime techs finished processing the scene.

"Penny for your thoughts?" A voice drifted from behind him. He turned around to find a 5'1 redheaded genius.

Deeks gave her a smile. "Depends."

"How so?" She asked, standing next to him.

"If you have a penny."

"Well, I don't have a penny, but I do have a quarter. Will that suffice?"

"What are you doing here, Nell?"

Nell gave a crooked smile and said, "There was an encrypted laptop. Callen informed Hetty and she brought me and Eric here." She gave a quick turn and nod to Eric behind them.

"Shouldn't you be helping him with that? You are the smarter one in the relationship after all."

"Don't let Eric hear you say that."

They smirked and for a while there was just silence.

"How's Kensi?"

"She's fine. Awake."

"You haven't gone to see her have you?"

"Nell-"

"Don't 'Nell' me, Detective. Go talk to her. She needs someone and I'm pretty sure that person is you."

"When did you become so wise, short stack?"

A sharp pain from his ribs taught him never to call her that.

"Shut up birdbrain."

"You're lucky I can't hit you." He responded as he doubled over, trying to catch his breath. He tried to sound as threatening as he could but the wheezing kind of destroyed that. Besides, she would've seen right through it anyways. He suddenly felt very bad for Eric.

"You couldn't even if you wanted to." He glanced at her to see her smirking proudly.

"Damn. You hit hard." Deeks was now standing back up properly, but his arm was draped around his midsection and clutching at his wound. "I think it's broken. You have to take responsibility. You just assaulted a cop."

"Good, maybe that way you can go to the hospital. Preferably where Kensi's staying."

"You're a devilish little imp aren't you?"

That earned him another punch from Nell. This time in the arm.

She gave him a quick hug and a "smartass" along with it before she walked away.

"You know what?! You're abusive! Like Kensi! I feel bad for Eric!" He screamed after her, his voice obviously teasing with a smile on his face.

As Nell walked away to Eric's side, he knew she had a smile on her face as well.

"She do a number on you, lover-boy?"

Deeks turned. "Hey."

"Hi." She stepped forward. "She hurt you?" She asked, giving a nod to his arm.

With a smile on his face, he answered, "She may look all innocent and harmless at first, but she has a mean punch."

"Would've never expected that."

"Yeah, neither did I."

"I wanted to thank you." Another step forward.

"For what?" He asked, straightening his back.

"For finding this son of a bitch. Getting the drugs off the street."

"And into your possession." Deeks finished.

Talia smiled, "Yeah."

"Look, I know this is awkward with everything that's going on, but since we're going to be working together, we have to settle this."

"Talia, you don't have to-" Deeks outstretched his arm slightly, stepping closer to her involuntarily. She wondered if this was some sort of olive branch.

"I know, I know." She interjected. "But I wanted to. I sent out some mixed messages – we both did – and I thought that I was given a second chance or something, but you have somebody so I need you to promise me something."

"Okay."

"Dating someone you're working with is damn hard. I made a mistake and it caused my life to spin out of control, but promise me that it won't let you. 'Cause no one deserves that kind of pain."

Deeks just nodded. He'd always known that Talia had taken a liking to him and he, to her. In another lifetime, he knows that he might've fallen for her, but in this one, there was something holding him back. Rather, someone.

/-\

"Hey."

A small smile appeared on Kensi's face as she looked up from her green Jell-O. "Hi." Her voice was still raspy and weak, her eyes, tired. "Please tell me you have something better for me to eat than green hospital Jell-O."

"I thought you liked that green hospital Jell-O. You stole mine when I was in the hospital." He smirked.

She gave a small smile of her own, but didn't say anything.

Deeks moved to the doorway and reached behind the wall. "Ta-da."

That brought a real smile to her face. "Thank God."

"Well, I know my partner."

"What'd you bring?" Deeks brought a chair next to her bedside and put the plastic bag on the small swivel table top.

"Tacos." And that one word changed everything.

She remembered that day like it was yesterday. After all, it was the first day of the rest of her life. Maybe it had been his too.

"So are you actually asking me on a date this time?"

"Something like that." Deeks sat down on the chair he brought next to her and opened up the bag. "Bon appetite."

**Three Weeks Later**

"You okay?" He opened the door to her home for her while carrying her bags.

"Stop asking me that. I'm fine."

Kensi didn't even have to look at her partner's face to know that he was giving her his patented 'Really? You think I'm gonna by that?' look.

"Okay, I'm a little sore. I think I'm going to take up Dr. Levian's advice about getting a chiropractor."

Deeks put her bags in her bedroom and headed towards her fridge. "If you needed a massage you could've just asked your partner, Princess." His teasing drove her crazy sometimes, but she didn't deny that he brought a smile to her face. He always knew how to make her laugh and smile even in her darkest hours. Though, if Deeks asked, she would deny that until her dying breath. His ego did _not_  need any boosting.

"Beer?"

"Thanks."

Deeks put the bottle on the marble counter as he closed the refrigerator. Leaning against the countertop opposite her as she took a seat. He popped open both beers on the side of the countertop and gave her hers.

Silence fell upon the two of them as they both sipped their beverages. It wasn't a comfortable one, a certain tension lingered in the air. She couldn't put her finger on it.

So, she spoke. "You pulled away."

"What?"

Her mismatched eyes locked on with his azure eyes. "After I came back from Afghanistan," she clarified.

Deeks stayed silent. He nursed his beer in his callused hands as his thumb wiped the water droplets off the neck of the bottle. The wet paper of the beer's wrapper felt weird against his palm. Secrets were coming to light, things that he didn't want people to know. Least of all, Kensi.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kens. Everything's fine between us."

_'Damn, that word,' he thought._

He sighed.  _Cue argument._

"Why did Angelo freak you out? What about his impromptu 'Three Hearts' lecture scare you off?!"

"I lost you once, Kensi. In Afghanistan! I told Hetty to send me a picture that they'd found of you. You were on the ground. Bleeding! I thought you were dead, Kens! And I did something. Something I will never forgive myself for." His head fell, he couldn't bear to look at her.

Kensi abandoned her beer and took his beer out of his as well as she placed her hand hesitantly over his. They were cold. Her voice now soft, she asked, "What did you do?"

He closed his eyes and tried to think of some way to change the subject and add a joke in; diffuse the tension between them, but he knew he had to take this seriously. But if he told her the truth, their partnership and their relationship were at stake. They needed to be better communicators and his quips and jokes weren't helping at all. He decided that this conversation would've happened eventually. So,  _why prolong the inevitable?_

"The guy who was with me, we… we umm, we were interrogating this blind guy. He was translating. I couldn't get through to him and then I saw the picture and I... I um… I…"

"Deeks." Kensi had given his hand a light squeeze. Not that he minded or anything. They were so soft. So soft.  _Just like that night…_

He can still remember that night.

_The way her lips felt against his, the way her hands fit against his, the feel of her body against his, the curves of her waist against the palm of his hands, the way they danced with each other, and the sounds. Oh, the sounds._

"Deeks," her voice broke him out of his reverie, her voice a gentle whisper.

Deeks looked down at their clasped hands and finally, he spoke. "I water-boarded him."

 _Woah. She was not expecting that._  She expected Deeks feeling guilty about punching the poor guy or breaking his nose, but water-boarding?  _Woah._

"Deeks." She slipped her hands away from his as she made her way over to him. He'd wondered if what he feared was happening; if she was going to break off their partnership - even more so, their relationship.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! This is a short little chapter and the last. I know, I know, but this is the way it has to be. :(
> 
> Thank you guys for all the love you guys have given me and this story!
> 
> Enjoy~

_"Deeks." She slipped her hands away from his as she made her way over to him. He'd wondered if what he feared was happening; if she was going to break off their partnership - even more so, their relationship._

"Kens, please. Please don't make this harder than it already is. Please-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Gently, Kensi ran her hands over his arms and made her way down until she took his hands in hers.

"Kens, I… I just-" Deeks stammered.

"Deeks." Letting one of his hands go, she ran her fingers through his shaggy blonde curls. Her actions stilled him. "Take a breath."

He darted his tongue across his lips and took the courage to look at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She repeated, her voice softer this time.

"Because, because I," Deeks took a shaky breath and turned her hands around palm up. As he traced small circles onto the palms of her hands with his thumb, he couldn't help but think that this might be the last time he would ever get to do that.

She stayed silent until he spoke again, wanting to give him his space; to respond without added pressure. Again, with his head down, he responded, "Because I thought that I would lose you if I told you."

Kensi gave a sigh as she curled her finger under his chin and lifted it slowly. "You will never lose me by telling me the truth."

His eyes locked on with hers as he asked, "Really?" His voice was shaky and only above a whisper, but she heard him.

"Deeks, remember when I was tracking down Peter Claremont to find the truth about my father?"

He didn't know where she was going with this, but he decided to play it out if it meant keeping their relationship alive, if only minimal.

"Of course." He gave her hand a squeeze.

She smiled at him. He knew that this was a sore subject for her, but even in his current state, he was still taking care of her. That's what she loved about his personality the most. That and the amazing ability to make her laugh wherever and whenever. Not to mention, the fact that he can see right through her like no one else.

"I called you before I went to take down Claremont."

"You didn't say anything," he recalled.

She gave him a nod. The next words that came out of her mouth left him speechless. "I needed to hear your voice if I," she cleared her throat and continued, "If I didn't make it out alive.

"Kens."

"What I'm trying to say is that I did something terrible – or I almost did something terrible – but you still had my back."

"But you didn't do it. I actually did something terrible. Look, Kens, I don't expect you to forgive me, but I need to know that we're alright. I  _need_  to know that-"

Before he knew it, her hands slipped their way out of his and her lips were on his. Her fingers wove through his curls as his cupped the sides of her face, his thumbs tracing circles on her cheeks. She loved the way he did that.

As they both pulled away for air, she breathed, "Shut up, Deeks." And once more, their lips met with one another.

 _'Finally,'_  he thought,  _' **they**  were finally being given a shot.'_

Little did Deeks know, his partner was thinking the exact same thing.

 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Please review, they are much appreciated!


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